Driver Power is the UK’s biggest survey dedicated to one thing; car satisfaction. And this year’s results seem to show that money can’t always buy happiness.

In fact, the more cost-effective models and marques are more likely to make drivers happy. So, if you’re thinking about splashing the cash on a luxury model, maybe give this a quick read first…

Superb Skodas top the tablesThe study asks thousands of drivers to rate their new car across nine categories, covering everything from comfort to running costs. Driver Power then takes the average total from across the nine categories to give each car its final score.

This year saw Skoda top the charts, with its suitably named ‘Superb’ model having the highest satisfaction rating, with a whopping 93.4%. Not happy with just the gold medal, Skoda also took second place, with its Yeti model only just behind with an average score of 93.3% – looks like Skoda might be getting an influx in customers.

Other cars in the top five are the Lexus RX (93.1%), the Toyota RAV4 (93.1%) and the Kia C’eed (93%).

Cheap means cheerfulThe top five shows one thing; cheap clearly means cheerful! Apart from the Lexus, the other four other cars in the top five all come from ‘low-cost’ marques.

The bottom five cars on the list also paint a bad picture for the more expensive manufacturers, with Volkswagen and Audi (considered to be more ‘quality’ than ‘low-cost’) both featuring.

As Steve Fowler, Editor-in-Chief at Auto Express, explains, these results show that some opinions on certain marques may be a little outdated.

He said: “Some people still have a negative opinion of brands like Skoda and Kia, but the results of Driver Power prove this is really outdated.

“Skoda drivers are almost evangelical about their cars, the dealers and the whole ownership experience. It may seem odd that models from Skoda’s parent company VW and Audi scored so much lower in the survey, but when customers pay for a quality experience and don’t get it, they’re bound to feel let down.”